I had received a few plants as a house warming gift. but they are all dying on me!! They have these tiny tiny black flying insects in them. What are they and how do I get rid of them without doing further harm to my plants?
2007-12-13 02:15:12 · 7 answers · asked by lonely1 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
You either have gnats, which live in the soil or flying aphids which live on the plant.
Gnats usually do not harm the plant & the only way I've found that works to get rid of them is to add a drop or 2 of dish soap to the water EVERY TIME you water. It'll take up to 3 weeks to really get rid of them, you are killing the ones in the soil & the annoying flyers live for just a week or 2.
Give the plants as much light as you can & always check the first 2-3 inches of soil is dry before watering. Overwatering is the #1 way we kill our houseplants.
Look closely at the newest growth of the plant to see if they have aphids. They are usually green but can be other colors & will have clear black wings. Aphids shed a white skin so your plant looks like it has dandruff. And they deform the new growth. You should go to a home & garden store for a pesticide for them. Ask for help & if you don't know what kind of plants you have take digital pics or a small sample of the plant. (Certain palms are very sensitive to some pesticides) Let the person know if you have pets or children that may get into the plants too.
My house plants loose quite a few leaves when I bring them on for the winter. I just can't give them the light they get outside but they fill back out every spring. Hopefully that is all that's going on with yours.
Good Luck
2007-12-13 03:17:17 · answer #1 · answered by A * T 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To get rid of the bugs just mix 1tsp dish soap with 1 tsp cooking oil with water in a 32oz spray bottle and spray the tops and bottoms of leaves, stems, trunks, and surface of the soil. It's not likely that the insects are killing your plants. Most likely they are not receiving the right light or watering requirements. Most indoor plants only require indirect light which means that the light should be bright enough that the plant will cast a shadow, but do not put it in direct sun light because it will burn. As for watering, once a week is usually good. It is always better to under water than over water so just check your plant by sticking your finger into the soil and if it comes out dry then you need to water. Also, during the Spring don't forget to give them some liquid fertilizer to keep them happy and repot them every couple of years with fresh potting soil and a slightly larger pot. It just takes a little practice and soon your house plants will thrive.
Good Luck
2007-12-13 03:40:45 · answer #2 · answered by Sptfyr 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the seven dust will work or any other insect killer that is safe for plants. But you also have to fix the problem. It sounds like you may be keeping your soil to moist or maybe ther is not good enough drainage. Try re-potting your plants. I would suggest removing as much of the old soil as possible and starting them fresh.
2007-12-13 03:13:50 · answer #3 · answered by cindarella 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Get some Sevin Dust from the hardware store. Just make sure you don't breath it in when you put it on, wash your hands afterwords, and don't let pets or kids in it. The dust won't hurt your plant, but will get rid of the bugs. You just throw a light dusting over the entire plant.
Also, I heard that baking soda (which is safe for everyone) will get rid of bugs, but I'm not sure as I've never tried it. A friend of mine, who is a farmer for a living, told me that.....but knowing him, I would try the Sevin Dust.
2007-12-13 02:20:56 · answer #4 · answered by Rainy 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"The wages for sin is dying" refers to a non secular dying, not actual dying. The actual dying happens to each little thing interior the Universe, it somewhat is the "door" via a different non secular point. The non secular dying retains the spirit of the human (or plant, or animal, or mineral ) being on a similar point because it have been interior the existence, and meaning real dying.
2016-10-02 08:57:15 · answer #5 · answered by pinal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you can buy black fly killer spray.your plants may be withering with the winter closing in, they`ll recover in the spring.water them Less in winter.
2007-12-13 02:23:39 · answer #6 · answered by Hit the ground running 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
ivory dish soap and water in a spray bottle.just a few drops of soap. try it once and see how that does, if you spray to many times it will kill it anyway
2007-12-13 14:09:56 · answer #7 · answered by White american Woman 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋